Council
13 November, 2024
Progressing Cobden elect's president
FOR the first time in 16 years, Progressing Cobden has headed in a different direction with its governance and administrative model.
Rather than a flexible leadership group taking care of business, the organisation has returned to the more traditional practice of electing a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer who will all hold office until the next annual general meeting.
Progressing Cobden member Kelvin White said the return to the hierarchical model was one of the recommendations to come out of the Progressing Cobden review conducted in August.
“In fact, it was thought the organisation needed to adhere more closely to its own constitution by electing members to these regulatory positions,” he said.
“Along with this change, a PC working group has been examining and developing other recommendations from the review.
“After several of these smaller meetings, further recommendations were presented at the November gathering for example all PC’s sub-entities (committees) need to have their own terms of reference, and a streamlined PC business agenda would have benefits, as would a set of bylaws which would make PC an even more effective organisation.”
Mr White said another recommendation surrounded the formation of a youth committee or youth forum to engage with younger members of the community and give them a voice at Progressing Cobden.
“As a result of all these deliberations, PC’s annual meeting was postponed until November 4 when Misty Angus was elected president,” he said.
“Other executive members are Milton Parlour (vice-president), Kelvin White (secretary) and Frank Martin (treasurer).
“The new position of minute secretary was accepted by Kathryn Stubbings who assumed a spot on the committee with Cath Jenkins, Barb Cowley, Helen Smith and Andrew Stubbings.”
Mr White said the 2025 AGM will return to the first Monday night in August.
He said by then, it is hoped a number of the target recommendations will be achieved – including a set of bylaws.
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